


December Drabbles

by HellsLittleLiar



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Angst, Drabble Collection, Fluff, Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:54:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 8,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21635431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HellsLittleLiar/pseuds/HellsLittleLiar
Summary: A short fic every day in December.
Comments: 157
Kudos: 65





	1. Bloom

Moomin hid behind Mamma as the large blue tulip opened and a tall, beautiful girl with long blue hair rose up and stretched with a yawn. 

"Oh, hello." She greeted them.

"Good morning, dear." Mamma answered. "How are you?"

"Lonely." Came the reply as the girl lifted up her long skirt to delicately step down one of the petals.

"Oh dear." Mamma cupped her own cheek with her paw. "How dreadful, to be lonely all alone like that. Why, you simply must travel with us to search for my husband. Moomin and I are feeling quite lonely ourselves, but if you join us we shall all be lonely together instead."

"Truly? I should love to! I am Tulippa."

"I'm Moominmamma and this is my son, Moomin." 

Moomin waved shyly, one paw still holding onto Mamma's apron. Tulippa smiled kindly and waved back. 

"Why are you looking for your husband? Do you not know where he is?"

"No, dear, you see he was washed away in a flood and we've been searching for him ever since."

"Then I'd like to help you look!"

"You're welcome to, dear."

Mamma took Tulippa's hand in one paw and and Moomin's paw in the other and they began their journey with their new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you enjoy it? Leave a comment! Did you hate it? Don't leave a comment, I don't need that sort of negativity in my life ;)
> 
> Thanks for reading <3


	2. Clutter

Not many things intimidated Snufkin. It may come as a surprise to anyone who discovered it, but Moomin's bedroom was one of the only places in the world that intimidated him. It was simply too overwhelmingly full of possessions; pretty seashells and thick novels and shiny treasures Moomin brought back from adventures. Snufkin had never known other people kept all this stuff until he'd stepped foot into Moomin's bedroom the very first time. 

It was so overwhelming, trying to keep track of everything Moomin owned and quite horrifying when he realised Snorkmaiden and Sniff both owned even more. Still, it was nice to know that Moomin kept the random little pieces Snufkin gave to him over the years. Snufkin, himself, wasn't too attached to possessions but a warm feeling spread through him as he opened a book he'd pulled from Moomin's bookshelf and found every flower he'd ever gifted his friend pressed between the pages.

Moomin caught him in the middle of flicking through the book and turned red, stuttering. He was rather more embarrassed than the situation warranted, Snufkin thought, but Moomin could certainly be a little strange sometimes. Snufkin put the book back on the shelf and, as an apology, he gave Moomin another flower the next day. For some reason, this only served to make Moomin turn red again and run back to Moomin House, so Snufkin decided not to bring it up again. This didn't stop him from thinking about it though, as Moomin keeping every flower Snufkin gifted him was far too lovely of a thought to ever let go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you liked it! <3


	3. View

The view from his bedroom window was the most beautiful one in the world, in Moomin's own opinion. His own, completely unbiased opinion. Moomin sighed dreamily as he watched Snufkin set up his campfire. What could be a better sight than this? Snufkin sat down next to his fire and lit his pipe carefully before he leaned back against the log behind him to stare up wistfully at the stars.

Of course, Snufkin loved the stars more than anything so it was a good thing he could look up at them whenever he pleased. The one thing Moomin loved more than anything was his best friend, so he was grateful he could see him almost as often as Snufkin could see the stars. Even on days Snufkin didn't particularly want company, he would come back to his tent at night and set up his campfire to make his dinner then sit back and relax with his pipe. 

There was nothing Moomin loved more than spending time with his darling best friend Snufkin, but being able to gaze at him from afar was a close second. Snufkin looked up towards Moomin's window and, with a gasp, Moomin hid quickly underneath the windowsill. His heart beat hard against his ribcage, the exhilaration of almost being caught overwhelmed him. He hoped Snufkin hadn't seen him staring.

Next to his fire, Snufkin smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uwu hope you liked it <3


	4. Warmth

Warmth

Moomin trembled with cold as he ploughed through the snow, alone and frozen from his snout to his toes. He saw a cloud of steam emerging from the bath house and smiled in relief. Too-Ticky was awake again; he wouldn't have to be alone while his family hibernated. He trudged through the snow until he reached the bath house and knocked on the door.

The door was pulled open immediately and Too-Ticky grabbed Moomin's paw and tugged him inside. She wrapped a soft blanket around his shoulders and pushed him to sit next to the lit fireplace.

"I heard you coming." She told him as she poured a mug of coffee and pushed it into his paws. The heat of the mug seeped slowly into his paws.

"How did you hear me? It couldn't have been my footsteps with all of this snow."

"I heard you huffing and puffing your entire way here." Too-Ticky laughed and poured herself a mug of coffee, then took a seat next to him. "Are you warm enough?"

Moomin flicked a speck of snow from the tuft of his tail and tucked it under the blanket. "I don't think I've ever been warmer." He admitted, honestly. 

Too-Ticky smiled. "Warm enough to go back out? I'm about to go ice fishing if you'd like to come."

"I think I'll finish my coffee first." Moomin took a sip and savoured the familiar flavour on his tongue. Too-Ticky made coffee the same way Snufkin did. If Moomin closed his eyes, he could almost imagine he was there with him. 

When he opened his eyes again, Too-Ticky and her fishing gear had already left the bath house and his coffee had faded to lukewarm. Moomin, himself, had warmed up considerably as he stood up and went to join Too-Ticky under the frozen ocean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Too-Ticky might be associated with winter but she always seemed warm to me <3


	5. Mouth

Little My bared her teeth at Mrs Fillyjonk as the woman sneered down at her and her friends.

"I don't know how you control these children, Moominmamma." Mrs Fillyjonk sniffed with her snout held snootily up towards the sky. "They're filthy!"

That, at least, was true. Moomin and Snorkmaiden's fur was stained green, Sniff had black coal marks all over him and Snufkin was covered in dirt and holding a cluster of worms in his paw. Little My had thick brown mud coating her up to her chest and her hair had been worked into a loose and messy bun instead of the tight ponytail it usually was. The children giggled in amusement at the accusations from Mrs Fillyjonk, as they didn't care what she thought.

"Oh, they've been having such fun." Moominmamma waved her off airily. "Children should be dirty as often as possible in my opinion."

"Children should be clean unless you're a terrible mother!" Mrs Fillyjonk snapped at her, unforgivably. Little My clamped her sharp teeth down on Mrs Fillyjonk's perfectly manicured tail and sunk them deep into the flesh. Mrs Fillyjonk shrieked in alarm and swung around, attempting to detach Little My from her tail. Little My hung on tight, growling, until she decided to let go herself. Nobody insulted Moominmamma on her watch.

"What horrible little children you have, Moominmamma!" Mrs Fillyjonk scolded her as she put on her coat.

"Yes, they are rather feisty, aren't they?" Moominmamma hummed, amused, and patted Little My fondly on the head. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all know I'm not proofreading or editing any of these 😅
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3


	6. Fruit

There was a gap in Moominmamma's garden and she didn't know how to fill it. Moominmamma waved to Snufkin, who sat on a nearby rock, playing his harmonica. Snufkin waved back and hopped up to wander over to Moominmamma.

"Is something the matter, Mamma?"

"No, dear, I'm only trying to decide what to do with all of this space." She gestured to the open acres of garden with nothing except grass. Snufkin looked at the space with the same quiet consideration he always had.

"Perhaps livestock, Mamma? It's already covered with grass."

"Oh it's much too large for a single cow or sheep and I wouldn't be able to manage an entire herd by myself. Besides I wouldn't want them to get lonely."

"Then, perhaps you could plant some trees." Snufkin suggested instead.

"Oh, yes! Trees, what a lovely idea. I'll plant an orchard of apple trees. I do so love apples and, of course you're welcome to take however many you'd like."

Snufkin smiled and rubbed the back of his head, shyly. "Thank you, Mamma."

"Of course, dear. And perhaps I shall even use a field to grow melons and you'll be perfectly welcome to take those too."

"Mamma!" Snufkin laughed. "What's the point of a melon without a chase?"

It was Moominmamma's turn to laugh at the other. She would plant some melons anyway, just in case he changed his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Snufkin and Moominmamma's relationship is so cute uwu <3


	7. Strength

Strength

Joxter sighed dreamily as he watched Mymble lift several of her children with one arm. She was so beautiful when she showed off how huge and strong she was. Mymble swung her children around playfully and caught Joxter's eye. She beamed happily at him from across the room and he blinked slowly back at her, with a pleased pink face. Mymble danced over and held out her spare arm towards Joxter. He put his paw in her hand, expecting that she wished to dance with a partner and was startled to find himself thrown over her shoulder.

The children and Mymble laughed as he gently, playfully wriggled around in a half-hearted attempt to free himself. Mymble was strong but Joxter was slippery and he eventually slid to the floor, taking a few of the children with him. They shrieked as they fell but he made sure they all landed on top of him so they wouldn't be hurt by the fall. 

"My darling Mymble, I think we have far too many children."

"Oh? And what do you suppose we do with them, my dear Joxter."

"We'll simply have to throw a few out."

Mymble giggled behind her hand. "Oh, but how shall I ever decide which ones to keep and which ones to throw away?"

"I think we should throw this one." Joxter said, picking up one small child, holding them by the armpits. They giggled as he gently swung them back and forth in the air, then all of a sudden let go and flung them onto the nearby sofa. 

"I wanna be thrown too!" Another one of Mymble's daughters cried, the others clamouring to follow, and soon Joxter was covered in children, in much the same way Mymble always seemed to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mymble and Joxter are so romantic, falling in love at first sight uwu <3


	8. Self Love

The poor little forest creep had never had a name of his own before. It didn't matter so much, as nobody had ever noticed him before. Nobody had, until now.

"You must be cold swimming in the middle of the night like that, little one, why don't you warm yourself by my fire?"

The little forest creep gasped and hurried to accept Snufkin's invitation. Snufkin! He'd been invited to sit next to Snufkin's fire.

"Maybe I won't go back at all." Snufkin huffed after a short conversation. The little creep sunk low and attempted to slink off unnoticed, as he'd been able to many times before. 

"Wait!" Snufkin called after him. "What about Teety-Woo?"

"Teety-Woo?"

"For your name. It starts off happy but ends with a twinge of sadness."

"Teety-Woo? Teety-Woo! Teety-Woo!" The newly named Teety-Woo cheered. He finally had a name! "Thank you, Snufkin!" 

Teety-Woo scurried off. He was about to be so very busy. There were just so many things to do when one had a name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Teety-Woo. I wish there were more fics with him in <3


	9. Favourite Song

Little My watched Snufkin as he played All Small Beasts on his harmonica. She swayed softly side to side at the tune and hummed along with it. Snufkin peered at her out of the corner of his eye, amused. Both of them knew she enjoyed this song of his the most, but neither of them would say so. 

"Why don't you sing, Little My?" Snufkin suggested.

"I don't want to sing to your stupid songs." She said, folding her arms and sticking her nose in the air. They both knew she didn't mean a word of it.

"I'll give you dinner if you do."

Little My's arms loosened. That was a pretty convincing offer; Snufkin's pea soup was delicious (although not quite on par with Moominmamma) and she could smell it cooking over the campfire.

"You were going to offer to feed me anyway." Little My protested even as she wavered.

"Perhaps." Snufkin replied simply. "I merely wish to hear my dear sister's lovely singing voice."

"And you'll feed me afterwards?"

"You know I'll feed you anyway."

"Good enough for me!" Little My agreed and waited for Snufkin to bring the harmonica back to his mouth before she launched into song.

_"All small beasts should have bows on their tails_

_Lest they end up in Hemulen jails..."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aren't Little My and Snufkin such cute siblings? uwu <3


	10. Abstract

"Good evening, Snufkin!" Moominpappa waved.

"Evening, Moominpappa." Snufkin returned the greeting. "Is Moomin here?"

"Afraid not, my boy. He's off on a date with Snorkmaiden. They must be having fun, they've been gone for a while."

Snufkin smiled and looked up to the sky. Moominpappa followed his gaze to the clear, blue, cloudless sky and found nothing but a quiet sunny day.

"Looks like rain later."

Moominpappa looked back down at Snufkin who continued to look up at the sky. "Do you think so? I don't see any clouds."

"Clouds? What would there need to be clouds for?"

"My boy, clouds are where rain comes from! For it to rain, there must be clouds."

"Oh, yes, I know. It's not raining now so there needn't be any clouds now. It will rain later though."

"How could one tell?" Moominpappa blinked in confusion.

"The weather is going to turn soon."

"Hm?"

"I can feel the chill in the air."

Moominpappa felt a shiver run down his spine which had nothing to do with the warm, sunny weather. He took a puff of his pipe. "Would you like to come in while you wait for Moomin?"

"No, thank you, Moominpappa." Snufkin said. "I think I'll go find them."

"But they're on a date!" Moominpappa protested.

"Oh yes, I know." Then Snufkin walked away before Moominpappa could say another word. Moominpappa watched him leave, more confused than minutes ago. Moomin certainly did have some strange friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my headcanon that Moominpappa is perpeptually confused by Snufkin 😂


	11. Embrace

Joxter was almost knocked off his feet as a small blur of green barrelled into his chest. Two tiny arms clung onto him and Joxter clung back. His son! He'd finally found his son! Mymble and he had been searching for years for their lost child and now Joxter could finally hold him in his arms, solid and wonderful and real.

Snufkin pressed his face into Joxter's shoulder and held on tightly, just as unwilling to let go of his newly discovered father. Mymble and her many children surrounded them, filling the room with noise and laughter. Nearby, Muddler and Fuzzy were also reuniting with their own lost son but Joxter couldn't bring himself to care about anything in that moment except for the boy in his arms.

Mymble tucked her large arms around the both of them, beaming. Joxter grinned up at her with tears spilling from his eyes. Snufkin curled further into the hug, safe, finally, in his parents' arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is late tonight I've been out for my work Christmas party tonight thank god for auto correct bc I'm fucked up lmao uwu


	12. Someone You Love

It was the first day of spring again and Moomin awoke to the sound of a soft harmonica drifting through his window. His eyes snapped open. 

_Snufkin!_

He threw himself out of bed, falling with a thump to the floor and untangling himself from his blankets. He flung open his window and crawled down his rope ladder, then raced over to the bridge where Snufkin waited. Snufkin looked at him out of the corner of his eye before he closed his eyes again and continued to play.

Moomin's breath caught at the sight of his friend and he stumbled as he slowed down. He walked the last short distance to Snufkin and leaned on the railing, next to where Snufkin was sitting. He felt his face heat up, as he leaned his cheek on his arms and looked up towards his friend. The sun haloed Snufkin, making him look practically angelic.

_Oh._ Moomin thought. _Oh. Of course._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha that's gay, Moomin 😉 <3


	13. Window

Window

Snorkmaiden sighed and stared dreamily out of her window, imagining she was a princess waiting for a brave knight to rescue her from a dragon-guarded tower. She hugged her book of fairytales close to her chest fondly. She wondered if Moomin would want to play princes and princesses with her again, then blushed at the memory of what happened last time. She had lost her memory and assumed he was a jester! Her darling Moomintroll! Afterwards she had felt quite terrible about it and so horribly embarrassed that she pretended she couldn't remember a thing. Even worse, her memory-stricken self had been quite obvious about her little crush on Snufkin. It was lucky both Moomin and Snufkin were too oblivious to notice.

A small thump at the window made Snorkmaiden jump as she was broken from her thoughts. She watched the window nervously until a small rock plinked against the glass. Oh! Her Moomintroll was throwing pebbles up to her window to awake her! How romantic! Snorkmaiden hurried to open the window and looked out to find Moomin there, as expected, standing next to Snufkin, who was slightly less expected. Only slightly, as Moomin tended to bring Snufkin along for dates and romantic gestures. Honestly he was lucky he was dating her and not some other girl who would be far less understanding. Snufkin wasn't much better, completely unaware that most people didn't bring their best friend on dates.

The two boys waved up at her and she waved back. "Wait there, you two! I'll come down to you!"

"That's not how the story goes, Princess!" Snufkin shouted back. 

"We're supposed to come up and rescue you!" Moomin agreed loudly.

"Alright but I shan't be making it easy for you!" Snorkmaiden snapped the window closed then moved out of sight and banged her head on the wall. Of course they weren't going to let this go. She should have known.

Perhaps they weren't so oblivious, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi I'm Snorkmaiden and this is my boyfriend Moomin and this is his boyfriend Snufkin and don't tell anyone but I'd also like Snufkin to be my boyfriend as well


	14. Animal

Moomin yelped as the newly escaped dragon bit his ear. The little thing then went on to bite everyone else's ear and Moomin resolved to blame Little My for making the dragon think she was stealing his fly. Finally the dragon flew towards Snufkin who didn't flinch as he landed next to him and started to blow a tiny flame onto Snufkin's mug.

"What's it doing?" Little My demanded to know.

"Why, it looks like he's heating up Snufkin's coffee."

"I hope he knows when to stop. He could set the house on fire!"

"That's enough, thank you." Snufkin addressed the little dragon who immediately stopped blowing flames. The little dragon crawled over to curl up in the folds of Snufkin's coat. Moomin softened and cooed at how cute he was, curled up and asleep in Snufkin's lap. 

"Why didn't it bite Snufkin?" Little My pouted. "Hey! Bite Snufkin! Come on, you bit everyone else! He tastes great!"

The little dragon opened one eye and hissed at her before he curled up even tighter and buried itself in Snufkin's lap. It looked like Moomin's new pet had his taste in favourite people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the dragon is a metaphor


	15. Bicycle

"What is it?" Moomin asked. "Snufkin, do you know?"

It was likely, Snufkin usually knew everything when Moomin asked him.

"It's a bike." Snufkin replied, as he picked up the rusting metal frame from the side of the path. 

"A bike?"

"Yes, you ride around on top of it. It's quite fun, as far as I remember."

Moomin eyed the bike suspiciously. "Ride it?"

Snufkin laughed. "This one seems to have been abandoned but usually bikes have wheels and a seat. I suppose this isn't really a bike, more of a bike frame."

"Do you think we can fix it?"

"If we can find a seat and some wheels, yes."

A few hours later, the two boys looked proudly at their creation. Snufkin's shoulders shook and he covered his mouth with his paw. 

"What? What's funny, Snufkin?"

"Nothing, nothing. It's just a...unique looking bike."

The bike sat in front of them, a rusty metal frame with large wooden wheels originally used on horse and carts. The seat was wooden too; part of an old bench they had sawn down the middle to make a chair. It still had a backrest. Moomin, having never seen a bike before, had no idea what the problem was. Snufkin, who did know what a bike looked like, couldn't contain his giggles for long.

"Come on, Snufkin, tell me what's funny!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If they don't know what a kite is then they definitely don't know what a bike is


	16. Winter Coat

When Moomin awoke, his fur felt longer and rougher than usual. He grabbed onto the fur at his side and his ears dropped sadly. It must still be winter; he'd woken up in the middle of his hibernation again. Moomin slid out of bed and walked over to the window, where he found a sea of snow covering the ground. He didn't want to bother trudging through it right away - he would visit Too-Ticky later. His stomach grumbled. Hopefully she would have some soup to share.

Moomin plodded down the stairs, his long fur on his paws softening the sound of his footsteps. The cold air of winter stung his eyes, but the rest of Moomin was warm, protected by his thick winter fur. Without Moominmamma awake and cooking, the kitchen felt cold and lonely. Moomin stoked the fire just to make the air appear warmer. He may not be able to cook, but he was perfectly able to make himself a mug of hot chocolate to drink as he curled up in front of the fireplace.

It wasn't often, outside of hibernation, Moomin was able to spend a lot of time to himself. It was nice, in a way, to have some peace and quiet every so often, but it was lonely too. Moomin wasn't like Snufkin, who could happily spend days alone without anyone to talk to. He also wasn't like Little My, who needed to have someone to talk to or torment constantly to keep her happy. Moomin would take his lonely moment of peace alone and then, later, he would seek out Too-Ticky for company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moomin: *wakes up*  
> *Checks schedule*
> 
> Schedule:   
> 9am - pine  
> 10am - yearn  
> 11am - dream  
> 12 - lunch  
> 1pm - languish  
> 2pm - ache  
> 3pm - mope  
> 4pm - pine


	17. Favourite Play

A lion chased Moominmamma around the stage as she cried for help and Little My didn't know why nobody was helping her. Even Snufkin, who could usually be depended on to resolve a situation was sat next to her, unmoving, with several young children surrounding him. Moominmamma cried out for help again and Little My decided to take on the problem herself.

Little My jumped from boat to boat until she reached the stage and bit as hard as she could into the lion's back leg. The beast let out a cowardly, terrified yelp of pain and ran off in a panicked circle until it started falling apart, revealing a frightened Sniff dressed as a baby in a crib. The costume suited his personality, Little My thought. She didn't care about that though, as she jumped into Moominmamma's arms.

"Oh, Little My! Thank goodness you're safe!" Moominmamma nuzzled her.

"Mamma!" Moomin and Snorkmaiden waved from the audience before climbing on stage to meet them. Snufkin followed from his own boat, carrying his new children with him.

"Bravo, everyone. Lovely play. Moominmamma, do you know what I should do with these?" He held up one small child to show Moominmamma.

"Oh my, where did you find so many children?"

Little My rolled her eyes. What a nuisance. At least Moominmamma was safe from lions. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the 90s cartoon! Little My actually canonically thinks Moominmamma is getting attacked by a lion haha <3


	18. Insect

A quiet whistle drifted through Moomin's bedroom window; a whistle which said "I've found something. Come see." Moomin tossed his bedsheets off his bed and scrambled down his rope ladder to where Snufkin was waiting for him. Snufkin smiled and Moomin followed him quietly into the forest. 

Snufkin lead them to a small pond covered in dark green moss and above it hovered what looked like hundreds of fireflies, lighting up the night sky like tiny stars close to earth. Moomin gasped. "Oh, Snufkin, you find the most beautiful things."

Snufkin shrugged and smiled shyly. "It's not so difficult to find beautiful things in Moomin Valley."

For some reason, it sounded like Snufkin was trying to hint at something without saying it out loud. Moomin, not knowing what he was hinting at, elected to ignore it.

"Yes, Moomin Valley is beautiful. I'm sure you've seen a lot of beautiful places when you're on your journey South."

"Sure I have, but nothing like Moomin Valley."

When Moomin looked over at Snufkin, he found his friend already watching him with a fond look in his eyes. Goodness, he must truly love Moomin Valley to look at the place like that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moomin, Moomin, Moomin. You are so so stupid and gay.


	19. Cowboy

The children giggled as they searched through the Everything Room, trying to find something to play with. It was raining outside but they were all far too energetic for their usual lazy rainy-day activities of reading and playing cards and listening to Moominpappa's stories. 

"I know!" Snorkmaiden opened a wooden treasure-box and pulled out a long, blue ballgown. "We could play dress-up!"

It was found by the others to be quite an excellent idea. With that, they dove into the box and began to pull out random clothes and accessories none of them knew the Moominparents owned. 

Snufkin attempted to pile as many pearl necklaces onto Little My's neck as possible, which ended when her face was completely covered. She pushed some of them off and demanded control of Snufkin's outfit, which Snufkin, for some reason, allowed. Much to Moomin, Sniff and Snufkin's surprise, she only used this power to dress him up in a knight's suit of armour. 

"Why would Mamma and Pappa even own armour?" Snufkin questioned, taking his helmet off and tucking it under his arm. Snorkmaiden blushed and averted her gaze, for a reason only known to her and Little My, who smirked at her. Snorkmaiden glared back at the evil, evil little thing. 

"There's everything in the everything room." Moomin shrugged off Snufkin's question, although he, in opposition to his girlfriend, couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from Snufkin. 

"We should all take turns dressing each other up!" Sniff chimed in, because he was having fun and wanted to join in and couldn't read the room. They all agreed, regardless of any fluttering feelings they had in their stomachs. Sniff was backed into a corner of the room by Little My, who insisted he try on wig after wig after wig. The two were subsequently ignored by the other three in the room.

Moomin and Snufkin agreed they would work together to dress up Snorkmaiden, both knowing exactly what she wanted. She squealed in delight as they presented her with a floor length pink dress and a shiny gold tiara, fit for a princess. She twirled around, the skirt of the dress trailing after her and turned a pleased turquoise. Moomin openly admired his girlfriend's beauty while Snufkin stole shy, quiet glances that Snorkmaiden smugly indulged. She knew he thought Moomin handsome but she was pleased that extended to her too. 

"Your turn, Moomin." Snorkmaiden said.

Moomin, who thought he knew where the theme of their dress up game was going stared at her with a deadpan expression. 

"Please don't dress me up as a court jester."

Snorkmaiden and Snufkin burst into giggles and breathlessly promised they wouldn't. Instead they put him in brown leather boots and a hat and gave him a loop of rope to keep over his shoulder.

"A cowboy?" Moomin asked, confused. "That doesn't match at all." He mumbled.

Snufkin and Snorkmaiden shared several nervous, pink-cheeked glances with each other as they admired Moomin's new outfit. Moomin didn't notice, but from Snufkin's looks, Snorkmaiden knew everything she needed to know.

She smirked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's what I like to call Snufmooden. That's an ot3 right there 👌
> 
> I just like the idea of them all dressing each other up and suddenly being like "oh no they're hot" 😅 <3


	20. Blue

After a while of searching, Moomin found Snufkin standing on the beach, looking up at the sky. Moomin ran over to him.

"SNUUUFKIIIINN!"

Snufkin smiled at the shout, although he didn't look away once. "Hullo, Moomin."

"What are you looking at, Snufkin?" Moomin stood next to him and directed his own gaze upwards. His eyes widened. "Oh! What a strange looking moon!"

"It's a blue moon. It doesn't happen often, you're supposed to wish on it."

"A wish?" Moomin's ears perked up. "That's so lovely - will you wish with me, Snufkin?"

Snufkin finally looked away from the moon to smile softly at Moomin. "Of course I will, Moomin." 

Snufkin took one of Moomin's paws in his own and the two of them blushed and looked up at the moon at the same time. Moomin squeezed Snufkin's paw gently and smiled softly when he felt Snufkin squeeze back. 

"What did you wish for?"

"If I tell you it won't come true!" Moomin laughed. 

"Well I wished to catch some salmon for dinner."

"Salmon? Didn't you want to wish for anything bigger than that?"

"I did wish for a big salmon." 

Moomin giggled. That was just like Snufkin, to wish for a simple fish, when Moomin himself had wished for something much much bigger. He squeezed Snufkin's paw again and felt his heart beat violently against his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Snufkin is a liar ;) <3


	21. Cosy

Moominpappa looked over his family with pride, as they all sat together in the living room. His darling wife bustled happily about the kitchen, preparing hot chocolates and slices of cake for the children, having refused all their offers of help. A warm, orange glow emanated from the oven where a few loaves of bread were baking. 

Snorkmaiden sat at the table, embroidering a tiny sky blue skirt with pink thread and humming quietly to herself as she worked. A thick, tartan blanket laid across her lap. Next to Snorkmaiden, Little My sat on a cushion on the floor, using the same blanket as a shawl over her shoulders. For once she was still and calm as she scribbled something in a notebook that she refused to show anyone else. It was a pity, as Moominpappa could offer her expert critique on any writing she may be doing. She seemed to be enjoying herself anyway, grinning widely down at her notebook.

Sniff hovered around the kitchen with Moominmamma, offering help every so often and sneaking bites of cake. Moominmamma, fully aware of what the lad was doing, kept leaving little biscuits on the side for him to steal, not knowing how obvious he was being. Snork hunched himself up in the corner on a small table, pouring over blueprints, his tail swinging from side to side. His latest version of his flying ship had failed again but he'd had another idea and immediately began working hard on the new design.

Snufkin sat in the windowsill with one knee pulled to his chest and his other leg stretched out in front of him. He pressed one paw to the cold glass window and openly admired the heavy rain beating against it. His other paw held his harmonica loosely, as he'd been playing it for a little while before he became distracted at the sound of the rain.

Moomintroll sat on the sofa next to the windowsill, his chin resting on his paws, his elbows perched on the backrest. He stared admiringly up at his friend's face with a dreamy expression on his own. He had propped himself there to watch Snufkin play the harmonica and hadn't moved once the music stopped. Moominpappa thought it was wonderful that in the modern times men could show such affection to their friends. Back when he was Moomintroll's age, such behaviour would cast suspicions on one's relationships. It was a much happier time nowadays.

Moominpappa felt a flush of warmth flow through him at the sight of his family, all happy and safe together. He waved the latest chapter of his manuscript at them. 

"Who wants to hear a story?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moominpappa: it sure is nice that MEN can be MANLY PALS without other people thinking they're GAY #nohomo
> 
> He's just a dad, having the best day of his life, relaxing with his family uwu <3


	22. Holly

Alicia watched her grandmother chop up holly and add it to the cauldron. She frowned, confused. Perhaps she had been mistaken once again about her grandmother's intentions. 

"Grandma, I thought you were making a healing potion!"

"I am, Alicia."

"Then why did you put holly in it? I thought holly was poisonous."

Her grandmother sighed. "All ingredients are poisonous, it just so happens you need to eat less for some things to start taking affect."

"I'm sorry, grandma, I still don't understand."

"Holly is only poisonous in amounts larger than what I'm using here."

"Oh." Alicia's eyes widened as she stood on her tiptoes to peer into the cauldron. It was a strangely coloured potion, bubbling away. Her grandmother stirred it slowly with a large ladle. Alicia thought she could probably steal a small vial of it to give to Snufkin for his travels when he passed through their forest at the start of his journey South. Then she could secretly share the potion recipe with him; he always appreciated it when she taught him what she knew.

"You know most children don't get that close to a witch's oven unless they want to be eaten." Alicia's grandmother grinned.

"Most children aren't witches!" Alicia replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alicia and the witch are characters I wasn't too fond of when they first appeared, but they grew on me eventually :) <3


	23. Winged Creature

Moomin clutched at Snufkin's paw as they watched his baby birds fly off into the sky, heading south. He knew they had to go, he did, only it seemed so soon. He hadn't been ready to let them go and, while the flight was beautiful, it only filled him with sadness. For once Snufkin was the one anchor Moomin could hold on to. 

"It's their nature, Moomin." Snufkin said to him softly, once they'd squirrelled themselves away from everyone else. He placed a reassuring paw on Moomin's shoulder and Moomin leaned into it. 

"I know, Snufkin. I understand they have to go, but I can't stop myself from being sad about it."

Snufkin softened. "They may be flying south for winter, Moomin, but they'll be back in the spring."

"Really? Do you really think so, Snufkin?"

"I don't know how anybody could miss spring in Moomin Valley. Besides, I'm sure they'll want to return to visit you."

It felt silly, but it certainly made Moomin feel better about the whole situation. He sniffled and rested his head on Snufkin's shoulder. He would miss the little birds; he hoped they would come back, someday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't seen the birds episode yet but I'm pretty sure it's a metaphor ;) <3


	24. Building At Night

Moomin sulked as he surveyed the frame of the small house he'd built. The housing officer had served him a warning to stop building, as he didn't have planning permission. He would have to dismantle the entire thing! Little My had taken the paperwork and announced she was going to fix it, but Moomin thought she was far too small to be able to do anything about it. While she was gone, Moomin sat and pouted, unsure as to what he should do.

It was perhaps the only time Moomin didn't light up at Snufkin's approach. 

"What's the matter, Moomin? Building not going well?"

"Oh, Snufkin," Moomin sighed. "I've been ordered to stop."

Snufkin narrowed his eyes. "Ordered? By whom?"

"I'm not allowed to build without planning permission."

"Well," Snufkin lit his pipe. "How do you suppose they could stop you?"

"What do you mean, Snufkin?"

"You're rather strong, you know, Moomin." 

"Oh!" Moomin blushed. "Thank you."

"Stronger than most people."

Moomin blushed harder. "What exactly does that have to do with my house?"

"It's not like they can physically stop you building. Why don't you just continue it anyway?" Snufkin took a puff of his pipe.

"I couldn't possibly!" Moomin protested.

"Why not?" Snufkin asked simply. "You could build in the dead of night, while all the police and housing officers are still asleep."

Moomin paused. Well, he thought, why not? What was stopping him? A silly little piece of paper written by a man who's never even built a single thing with his own paws? The law? Who would arrest him for building a house? The inspector never even arrested Snufkin or Little My for their escapades. Nobody had ever required planning permission when Moominpappa had been building Moomin House! How was it so different? Indignance began rising in Moomin. Snufkin was right, as he so often was, how could anyone stop him? Why would anyone stop him? Oh, but, if he got in trouble, Moominmamma would be so terribly disappointed in him. 

"Moomin!" Little My called, her eyes wide with innocent excitement as she ran up to them. "I've got your planning permission!"

"Goodness! How did you manage that?"

She smiled mischievously. "I can be persuasive."

"I guess you don't need to build in secret after all." Snufkin sighed, disappointed, as Moomin danced in celebration with Little My.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Snufkin just wants to be gay and do crime and Little My just wants to help. All Moomin wants to do is build a little house right next to his parents' house because he's not actually ready to move out yet uwu <3
> 
> kuragehime & writingforFUNandbecauseBoredom - I'm starting to think we should just start a group chat at this point 😂 <3


	25. Gathering

Midwinter was an important time for mumriks. It was the one time a year they all gathered together in the South for one wild party. Mumriks weren't the best at keeping a schedule or even knowing what day it was, so the party always soaked into the surrounding days, as different people arrived and left at different times. Snufkin ocassionally spends the entire time at the party, when his winter travels get too lonely even for him. Most of the time, he hovered around the edges, dipping in and out of the party as he wanted. He slips it almost never, despite his distaste for parties. He enjoyed meeting other mumriks, and catching up with the ones he already knows.

Snufkin left his almost empty backpack in a nearby cave, knowing it would be safe there until he returned to collect it. He hoped he arrived at roughly the right time this year; he had been a few days late last year and a couple of days early the year before. Possibly his favourite part of midwinter was that none of the other guests cared when you arrived or how long you spent, although they were always happy to see you and sad to you go. 

There were people he met every single year and, of course, he was looking forward to seeing them. There were people he almost never saw and he was looking forward to seeing them too. And there were people he never met before who he was excited to meet for the very first time. Snufkin walked into the forest, where the gathering usually took place (sometimes it took place elsewhere and part of the celebration was the scavenger hunt to find it - Snufkin had his suspicions that this was a cover-up for everyone forgetting where the usual place was). Thankfully, this year it seemed everyone had remembered where to go.

Snufkin was more excited this year than usual, as it was the first year he would be attending, knowing the Joxter was his father. They had known each other for years, from the annual midwinter parties. Snufkin had always had a soft spot for the older man and Joxter had taken on the duty of guarding Snufkin from too much socialising. This was before they even knew of their familial bond; they were friends first. 

He looked across the crowds of mumriks at the party fondly, but searching for the one entirely familiar face. Leaves rustled behind him and he spun on his heel to come face to face with the Joxter. 

"Looking for me?" Joxter laughed.

"Yes, actually." 

"Oh." Joxter blinked at him with wide, startled eyes. Confusion crossed over his face. "Why?"

"Because I wanted to see you?" Snufkin replied, becoming more unsure as he was questioned about it. He suddenly felt shy, as he realised they'd never purposely sought each other out before. His shoulders tensed. "I-I missed you?"

"You did?" Joxter asked, perking up and looking far too cheerful at the thought. "I missed you too! Hup. Pfft. Isn't it wonderful that we both missed each other?"

Snufkin didn't answer, although he smiled shyly and rubbed his forehead on his father's, who purred in response. 

"Happy Midwinter, Snufkin."

"Happy Midwinter, Joxter."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Christmas! I went out for Christmas Eve drinks last night and maybe I pushed it a little too far lol I hope you like this <3


	26. Angel

Moominmaiden cried out for help as the current of the sea bashed at her and attempted to drag her down under the water. She clutched to her handbag; the one solid thing within reach. She kicked her legs hard in the water, but it was no use, she wasn't going anywhere! One particularly strong wave knocked her over and further down into the water. She struggled to find the surface and she was certain in that one horrific, terrifying moment, that she had taken her last breath.

A handsome moomin appeared in the water above her and swam towards her. She gasped and a gulp of salty water entered her lungs. The moomin grabbed onto her and began to pull her up towards the surface. Moominmaiden knew she'd been found by a guardian angel as they emerged from the water and he helped her onto the sandy beach. As she spat out the seawater, she felt herself trembling terribly. She turned to her rescuer, to thank him for saving her or to say something grateful but the only words that escaped her mouth were "My handbag! Oh, please you must save my handbag!" 

She had let go of her one worldly anchor and her paws opened and closed desperately trying to hold onto something, anything solid at all. The moomin stared at her and, as her paw wrapped around the handle of her handbag, she realised why; she had been incredibly silly and not noticed that it had washed up alongside them. She blushed. She had just asked him to risk his life to save a handbag! She hid her face inside her handbag, unable to look her saviour in the eyes. How foolish he must think her!

Moominmaiden risked a glance up at the moomin who rescued her again and found him still staring at her, his mouth open. She pressed a paw to her cheek.

"Oh, dear, is there something on my face?" She fished her compact mirror from her handbag and fussed a little as she couldn't easily find anything wrong with her appearance.

"You- you're perfect." The moomin choked out, hoarsely.

"O-oh!" Moominmaiden blushed and hugged her handbag closer to her chest. "Oh, my."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Moominmamma and Moominpappa's first meeting it's so cute uwu <3


	27. Connection

Little My scowled at the mailman as he completely failed to fall down the hole she'd dug out. What a spoilsport! She had worked hard on that booby trap, digging all day. Why couldn't he just walk forward a little bit and fall inside? As she walked around scheming, she saw Snufkin in the distance, calmly fishing. Of course, Snufkin! He would likely have an idea of what to do about the mailman. 

"Snufkin!" She called out as she ran up to him. "I have a problem for you to solve!"

"Oh dear," He frowned and reeled in his fishing rod. "That sounds serious. What's the matter, Little My?"

"We need to do something about the mailman!"

Snufkin blinked. "The mailman? Why? What has he done?"

"He won't fall down the holes I dig anymore!" She cried out dramatically and flung herself down to the ground to lay her head in his lap. Snufkin petted her hair.

"Well, isn't that to be expected?"

"He's fallen into them every other time!"

"Yes, I think he must have figured out the trick by now. He'll do his best to avoid falling down any of the holes you dig."

Little My pouted and threw her paws up into the air in frustration. "Then what am I supposed to do now?"

Snufkin hummed and looked thoughtful for a few minutes as he continued to pet her hair. She closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation, despite her annoyance. "I suppose the only thing you can do is to set up a different kind of trap."

She opened her eyes and regarded Snufkin who paid her no notice. She cast her mind back to the time he'd taken her along to go to war with the park keeper and lit up with delighted mischief as he let loose the hattifattener seeds who flowed with electricity. She remembered how much fun they had that night and she grinned.

"You're good at planning, Snufkin." She wheedled. 

He stopped petting her hair, lifted up his paw, and grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The connection is them being siblings...alright I admit it's a bit of a stretch haha
> 
> Little My's grudge against the mailman in the 90s anime is so funny to me. What has he done? How has he offended her? Who knows? She's just being a horrible little creature <3


	28. Pose

"I'm going to be a model!" Snorkmaiden squealed, as she danced about the room. "I'm going to be a model~"

Little My watched her with an unimpressed expression. "You do realise that photographer asked to take pictures of everyone here. And everyone said yes. Well, except Snufkin, but you know how weird he is."

Snorkmaiden's enthusiasm wasn't quelled. "Still! Isn't it exciting? We're going to be famous!"

Little My rolled her eyes. "This photographer is only going to use it for his portfolio. He's only just started."

"Okay, so it will take a little longer than I'd like it to, but you've seen his work! He's a very talented man!" Snorkmaiden sat down at her dressing table and peered into the mirror before she began to mess with her hair. Little My sighed. 

"Do you want me to brush it for you?"

"Oh, yes please, Little My!" Snorkmaiden handed her a hairbrush with soft bristles. "And afterwards I can brush out yours."

Little My took the brush and started running it slowly through Snorkmaiden's hair. 

"You know if you had mentioned wanting to be a model earlier, I could have taken your picture."

"You, Little My?"

"Sure. Moominpappa has a camera somewhere. How hard could it be?"

"Well, maybe we can practice modeling with each other!"

"You want to take my picture?"

"Yes! You're right, how hard could it be? Perhaps we'll be famous photographers too!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We should pay more attention to the ladies of Moomin Valley tbh <3


	29. Portrait

Moominmamma gasped in awe as her family lead her to the top of a cliff and asked her to look at the meadow beneath. It was a beautiful sight, if that wasn't too vein to say. Thousands of white and red and blue flowers made up one giant portrait of her. How had they managed this? It must have taken them hours of solid hard work. She pressed one paw to her chest, to calm her fast beating heart.

"My goodness, how on earth did you manage all this?"

"It was Pappa's idea!" Moomin chirped.

Moominmamma beamed at Pappa who blushed and tilted his hat down to cover his eyes. She took his paws in hers and kissed him softly with her snout. 

"The flowers were really the children's idea." Moominpappa admitted, flustered as she pulled away.

"Oh, but the picture of you was Moominpappa's idea!" Snorkmaiden said.

"Well, thank you, dears. It's a wonderful birthday present."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The episode where they did this was so cute uwu <3


	30. Bottle

Moomin sighed as he stared at the ocean. Snufkin was late this year and it felt as though a part of himself was missing. It wouldn't feel like spring until Snufkin arrived. To fill his heart until his friend arrived, he watched the ocean Snufkin loved so much and thought of him. Moomin walked forward and let the waves washing onto the shore lap at his ankles. Swimming without a bathing suit was quite inappropriate but he was sure it would be fine if he was only wading.

If only he could talk to Snufkin; that would cheer him up greatly. He missed his best friend so much and Snufkin was late! Didn't he know Moomin was waiting for him? Moomin kicked a rock in the water moodily then hissed as pain shot through his foot. Something floated past him and he blinked in confusion. A glass bottle? He picked it up and it was empty, but the bottle did give him an excellent idea. 

He would send out a message in a bottle to Snufkin! Moomin held the bottle up to the light and watched the sun reflect off the glass. It reminded him a little of the jar he captured the little dragon inside. Moomin ran back to Moomin House with his bottle and sat at his desk in his bedroom. Then he took a piece of paper and a pen and began to pour out his feelings. 

He made a delighted sound as he reread his letter then rolled it up and sealed it inside the glass bottle. He kissed the bottle excitedly then blushed and looked around his room to make sure Little My hadn't seen him. He was in the clear. He ran out of the door and all the way back to the beach, where he waded out into the shallow sea.

Moomin gently placed the bottle into the ocean and watched the waves carry it away before it finally disappeared under the water somewhere. The chances of it reaching Snufkin were minimal, he knew, which was why he felt comfortable writing everything he felt for his friend inside. It would likely be lost at sea forever and nobody he knew would ever find it. It was freeing in a way; a weight lifted from his shoulders.

* * *

On a little wooden boat, in the ocean very close to Moomin Valley, but not quite close enough, sat a Snufkin with a fishing rod. His stomach growled as he sat, waiting to catch his dinner. Something caught his line and he excitedly reeled it in only to find a message in a bottle. Thoughts of food were immediately cast from his mind as he dried the bottle off and opened it. A last little taste of adventure before he reached home.

To his surprise, the letter was addressed to him from Moomin. He wondered why his friend would need to contact him so urgently. Then he read the letter and realised Moomin wasn't trying to contact him at all. He blushed red at the content of it and tucked it away, into his coat. He would not bring it up to Moomin, although it did make Snufkin very happy. He didn't want to embarrass him, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote all of these stories ahead of time, except tomorrow's which I still haven't written and have no idea what to write :/
> 
> I hope you enjoyed today's!


	31. Fresh Start

The first day of spring symbolised something to Snufkin and Moomin. It was the first day of the year they were reunited; the first day Snufkin played his spring tune; the first day Moomin woke up from his long winter hibernation. As Moomin waited on their bridge for Snufkin to arrive, he bit his lip and thought about the message in the glass bottle he sent out to sea, never to be seen again. It was strange, but he felt a sense of relief attached to it. As he'd frantically written the letter, splattering ink all over his paws, he'd poured all his feelings for Snufkin into the words. Then, as he'd released the bottle to sea, he felt a heavy weight lift from his shoulders, as though he was no longer responsible for an important duty.

Now he'd let go of his feelings for Snufkin, Moomin could start anew this year. He could look at his friend with open eyes and see him for who he truly was, instead of the person on the pedestal Moomin placed him on. Of course, one couldn't simply stop loving their best friend by writing an unread letter, but after assessing that letter, one could appreciate their friend as a person instead of just an idea. One could look at their best friend's faults and flaws and strengths and blessings and see a whole person, capable of love and being loved. 

He would be able to see Snufkin, instead of the vagabond, the wanderer, the mysterious traveller.

A merry tune floated through the air and Moomin perked up in anticipation to re-meet his best friend for the first time that year. The tune was beautiful and gentle and wrapped itself around Moomin like a warm, familiar embrace. He turned to greet Snufkin and felt his breath catch in his throat. All of the flaws Moomin had acknowledged earlier that day melted away and all that was left behind was his best friend; beautiful and perfect. 

_Oh, hello, it's you again._ Moomin thought. _It's lovely to meet you. It's wonderful to see you again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a continuation of yesterday's oneshot. This is the end, everyone! Thanks for reading all of my little scribblings this December! I hope you had a good time reading and that you leave a comment letting me know which story you liked best ;)
> 
> I probably won't upload anything for a few weeks now, since I've uploaded every day in December and also once a week for ten weeks before then. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! <3


End file.
